Bity
An hour under pressure does what eight hours in a slow cooker does. Instant pot pulled pork is the recipe I reach for when I decide at four o’clock that we are having pulled pork sandwiches at six.
The pork goes in as whole shoulder steaks, comes out falling into strands, and the only real skill involved is being patient with the release. That said, the searing step is worth doing properly. Instant pot pulled pork forgives almost everything except a fast release.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Ninety minutes, start to plate. Including the sear and the natural release.
- Store cupboard seasoning. Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Nothing you need to shop for.
- One pot for everything. You sear and pressure cook in the same insert.
- It shreds with two forks. No knife, no carving, no wrestling.
- Leftovers get better. Day two of instant pot pulled pork in a quesadilla is arguably the point.
Ingredient Notes
- Pork shoulder steaks. One and a half pounds, left whole. Shoulder is the cut that works, because it is full of connective tissue rather than lean muscle.
- Olive oil. One tablespoon, for the sear. It only needs to be enough to stop the meat sticking.
- Smoked paprika. A teaspoon, and it does most of the heavy lifting. Sweet paprika will not give you the same barbecue note.
- Garlic and onion powder. A teaspoon each. Powders rather than fresh, because they coat the surface evenly and survive the sear.
- Chicken broth or water. Half a cup. The pot needs liquid to reach pressure, and half a cup is plenty since the pork releases a great deal of its own.
- BBQ sauce. Half a cup, added at the end. Sugary sauce cooked under pressure scorches on the base and triggers a burn warning, so instant pot pulled pork should meet its sauce only after the lid comes off.
The long cook is not about safety, it is about texture. In fact, ThermoWorks explains that collagen dissolution really gets going at about 170°F, and most tough cuts finish their tenderization at or around 203°F, which is exactly why a shoulder needs to go well past a safe temperature before it will pull apart.
Instant Pot Pulled Pork vs the Slow Cooker
Both methods are aiming at the same place, which is collagen melting into gelatin. The difference is only how fast you get the meat into that zone and hold it there.
Pressure raises the boiling point inside the pot, so the pork sits in a hotter environment than a slow cooker can reach. As a result, an hour does the work of most of a day. Meanwhile, the slow cooker version gives you a slightly drier, more shreddable strand that some people prefer for sandwiches. Instant pot pulled pork comes out saucier, because none of the liquid escapes along the way.
| Instant Pot | Slow cooker | |
|---|---|---|
| Active time | About 15 minutes | About 15 minutes |
| Total time | Roughly 90 minutes | Most of a day |
| Texture | Juicier, saucier strands | Drier, looser strands |
| Best for | Deciding late | Deciding at breakfast |
If you have the whole day, our slow cooker pulled pork uses the same cut and the same idea with a longer, gentler route.
How To Make Instant Pot Pulled Pork
1. Dry and season. First, pat the pork dry with kitchen paper, then rub salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder over every surface. A wet surface steams instead of browning, so this step is not fussiness.
2. Sear in the pot. Next, set the machine to Sauté, add the olive oil and brown the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Work in batches if they do not fit in one layer, because crowding drops the temperature and you get grey meat. Press Cancel when you are done.
3. Add the liquid. Then pour in the half cup of chicken broth or water. Scrape the brown bits off the base while you do it, since those are flavour and they are also the usual cause of a burn warning.
4. Sixty minutes on High. After that, close the lid, set the valve to Sealing and pressure cook on High for 60 minutes.
5. Release, shred and sauce. Finally, let the pressure drop naturally for 15 to 20 minutes before releasing the rest. Shred with two forks, drain off the cooking liquid, then toss with the BBQ sauce.
Biggest Mistakes to Avoid
- Quick releasing the pressure. Instant pot pulled pork that turns out stringy has almost always been vented too early, since a fast release makes the muscle fibres seize and squeeze out their juice. Those 15 minutes of natural release are the difference between juicy and stringy.
- Using a lean cut. Loin and tenderloin have no collagen to melt, so they go dry rather than tender. Shoulder only.
- Adding the BBQ sauce before cooking. Sugar sinks, sticks and burns. It goes on after shredding.
- Skipping the deglaze. Anything stuck to the base when the lid goes on will read as scorching to the sensor.
- Serving it swimming. Drain the pork before saucing, or the buns collapse.
Tips for the Best Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Leave the steaks whole. Cubing them sounds faster, but small pieces dry out at the edges over an hour.
- Of course you can season the night before. A dry rub left on overnight in the fridge is noticeably better.
- Save a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid. Stirring it back in after saucing keeps instant pot pulled pork glossy rather than dry.
- Still tough at the end? Give it another 10 minutes at pressure. Undercooked shoulder is stubborn, not ruined.
- Toast the buns. Instead of soaking through, a toasted cut side holds the sauce where it belongs.
- Shred it while it is still hot. Pork that has cooled tightens up and fights the forks.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge. Airtight container, up to 4 days. Store it in a little of its own liquid.
- Freezer. Portion it flat in bags and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating. A skillet with a splash of broth beats the microwave, though the microwave works if you stir halfway.
- Make ahead. Cook and shred instant pot pulled pork a day early, then sauce it as you reheat so it does not go claggy.
Variations and Substitutions
- Carolina style. Swap the BBQ sauce for cider vinegar, a pinch of sugar and chilli flakes.
- Chipotle. A spoonful of chipotle in adobo stirred through at the end, which turns it smoky and hot.
- Root beer or cola. Use it in place of the broth for a sweeter, darker result.
- No sauce at all. Salt, pepper and the pan juices make an excellent taco filling on their own.
- Pork butt. A boneless butt works, but cut it into large chunks and expect a longer cook.
For a different route to the same sandwich, the grilled pork tenderloin gives you slices rather than strands, and it is on the table in a fraction of the time.
What to Serve With It
Instant pot pulled pork sandwiches want something sharp alongside. We pile creamy coleslaw straight onto the bun, which sounds excessive and is exactly right. For a plate rather than a bun, classic potato salad and macaroni salad cover the sides, and soft homemade dinner rolls are better than anything from a packet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ingredients and Method
Do I have to sear the pork first?
You do not have to, but instant pot pulled pork loses a lot without it. Searing builds the browned crust that flavours the whole pot, and it takes five minutes in the same insert.
Can I use frozen pork?
Not for this method. Frozen meat cannot be seared or seasoned properly, and the timing shifts. Thaw it in the fridge overnight first.
Why only half a cup of liquid?
Because the pork releases plenty of its own once it heats through. Extra liquid just dilutes the flavour and gives you sauce you then have to drain away.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes, and the cook time stays at 60 minutes. Sear in batches, keep the pot below the two-thirds line, and expect a longer time to come up to pressure.
Storage and Troubleshooting
Why is my pork tough?
It is undercooked rather than overcooked, nine times out of ten. Seal it back up and give it another 10 minutes at pressure, then let it release naturally again.
What causes the burn warning?
Food stuck to the base. Deglaze after searing and keep sugary sauce out of the pot until the cooking is finished.
How long do leftovers keep?
Four days in the fridge and two months in the freezer. Instant pot pulled pork reheats best with a splash of broth in a hot skillet.
Can I keep it warm for a party?
Yes. Shred it, sauce it, then hold it on the Keep Warm setting with a little cooking liquid stirred through so it does not dry at the edges.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder steaks 680 g, left whole
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or water 120 ml
- 1/2 cup plain BBQ sauce 120 ml, for serving
Instructions
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Season all sides with the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Turn on the Saute setting and add the olive oil. Sear the pork steaks for 2 to 3 minutes per side, working in batches if needed. Press Cancel when done.
- Pour in the chicken broth or water, scraping any browned bits off the base of the pot.
- Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Pressure cook on High for 60 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 15 to 20 minutes, then quick release any pressure that remains.
- Shred the pork with two forks, drain it, then toss with the BBQ sauce if desired and serve.
